The beginnings of a goddess
by Shirleycakes
Summary: This is the story of Athena before she was the badass mythological character we all know and love.
1. Chapter 1

(Finally figured out how to add chapters XD. Sorry if there are any mistakes and reviews would be appreciated… and fanart. Also don't forget I'm new to fan fiction so please take it easy)

Millenniums ago when the earth was protected by a giant blue aquatic dome, when dinosaurs were at the bottom of the food pyramid, when powerful beings populated the earth and civilizations rules were contorted; a young Odin was nursing a swelling bruised purple eye. The young king in his endless pursuit for wisdom traveled far from his kingdom in the northern freezing cold lands seeking the true knowledge of all life's secrets from the first god of wisdom. The latter used to live in the barren lands in Mesopotamia but had for unknown reasons left to the Far East. After bribing Enlil god of the wind he was able to get the exact location of Enki the wisdom god and departed with haste. After days of traveling he reached a small progressive village and that's when he knew he was in the right place. They for one thing had houses made of wood while the rest of humanity lived inside dark caves ignorant on how to start a fire or were nomads finding a place to settle down.

The village was protected by an invisible force field repelling all dangerous monsters. It was near the ocean and they had plenty of natural hot springs, lush trees carrying plentiful ripped fruits and mountain all around; a nice isolated location. Odin pressed his hand to the invisible wall and immediately dark energy threw him 10 ft. away landing on his back. He sat contemplating how to get through when he heard the laughter of children, an idea came to mind. He morphed into a fat white rabbit and lay down on the ground pretending to be dead and hoping that no hawk was hunting. The children burst through some bushes close to the force field chasing each other. There were two small boys, with dark short hair and brown eyes, wearing silk something that no mortal wore then. He worried for a moment that they would not see him but they did one pointing at him to the other, his brother probably and they licked their lips.

The one that had pointed took a step forward until the other grabbed him by his black shirt shaking his head vigorously.

"We're not allowed." He glanced back wanting to go back to the village.

"It shames me to have a coward for a brother. When was the last time a monster came? When was the last time we had a proper meal?" Odin noticed that they were thin but not to the point where their ribs showed and they had a healthy glow on their faces. Enki had taken care of these people making sure they do not starve. "I shall grab it and only share with mother and father, the useless deserve nothing." The one in the blue tunic cringed hurt and straightened himself.

"I am no coward! Fine let us go get the rabbit." He marched through the force field but not before checking both ways for danger, his brother behind him. Rough small dark hands were just grabbing him when he blinded them with a flash of golden light changing back to his original body and snapped their necks. He looked at their dead bodies and worried. Would his weight crush the bodies? Shrugging he tied the plump one to his feet with a rope and held the other over his head. With all the dignity a king could have in his position like a penguin he wiggled through the force field. It left him through but not before growling at his trick. The grass was greener inside, the sun warm and friendly, peaceful birds hopped from branch to branch and everything felt tranquil.

Throwing the body in his arms to the ground and untying himself from the squashed body under his feet he hid them under a bush to avoid some villager from panicking. Brushing off his hands satisfied and looking around, he followed the dirt path to the village. The farmers saw him first and immediately knew he was a foreigner, also noticing the two spears on his back they called out to their children to hide inside their hovel homes.

"Who is he?"

"The people, Enki says live in heaven?"

"Will he hurt us?"

"How did he pass the invisible wall that protects us? "They all muttered to each other.

"Greetings, I am here to see your god." Odin said towering over all of them.

"god what god?" they asked confused. Odin furrowed his brow.

"Don't you have one?" maybe Enki was under disguise. "Take me to your chief then." One of the men, the buffest stepped forward and began walking. They entered a valley where the businesses were and Odin raised his brows at all the advancement in architecture Enki had given them. They stopped at the end where a rundown hovel stood made of stones, branches and clay. Odin was not convinced and believed that the mortal had tricked him leading him to some kind of ambush; a leader naturally lived better than the rest. He was about to strike when the smaller man walked up to the house and went right in, unlike the rest of the houses this one was missing its door. Hesitating for a moment he followed. The place was in disarray; scrolls, doodles, vases, models, and maps were sprawled around everywhere. All the chairs, table, shelves, and every inch of the floor were occupied by a pile of something. Odin dismissed the urge to place everything in its proper place.

On the floor was a sleeping figure, which the smaller mortal poked with his big toe. She grunted and swatted her hand trying to get rid of an imaginary bothersome fly. He crouched down shaking her and she grunted under her silk blanket. Yawning deeply she stretched like a cat looking at the man.

"What? Did your son fall of a tree again?" she asked drowsiness in her voice. She was beautiful and Odin could feel loins stirring. She wore a simple red tunic, black cotton pants and a sleeveless black jacket modified to have some kind of pouch in the back of her head. Putting on her deer boots, her startling grey eyes blinked rapidly trying to erase the last lingers of sleep in them. She also had short hair that reached past her shoulders and curled a bit in the ends; it was the color of the night, contrasting to her light dark tan. The skin and the hair was the only thing that she had in common with the people. The shape of her eyes and the color was closer to Odin's people. The man coughed and motioned to Odin. Her cloudy eyes became hard and calculating watching him.

"You are the leader?" he didn't try to hide his shock. Women rarely had power.

"No… he's out for the moment." She said.

"When will he be back?" he said irritated to have to wait any longer.

"Soon." Odin sighed then straightened up scratching his growing beard.

"You, get out." He told the mortal man in between him and the beautiful girl. The man only flexed, rising his chin higher and looked like he was about to fight him when Athena put her hand on his arm. She smiled reassuringly.

"He's a guest." He looked torn distrustful of the blond man but finally nodded and left out the door after one last glance back.

"So how old are you?" he asked leering at her long legs, pushing off a pile of books from a chair and sitting on it.

"How about you introduce yourself first and then I'll tell you." She said smiling, leaning on a rotting wall. Odin puffed up his chest, his eyes leaving her chest to actually look at her eyes.

"Odin king of Asgard, old friend of Enki." He said trying to impress her.

"Asgard the land in the north right sits above a tree; can't say I know who Enki is." She tilted her head curiously trying to recall such a name. Odin visibly depleted of all lust.

"What he's not here! Are you sure? He has short, black hair; black eyes that are round and big, super long beard and like to wear dresses, chubby, wears to much eyeliner." He said rising from the chair and nearing her.

"You mean Ea?" so he was here, he had just changed his name.

"Yes." Now that crisis was over, he realized how close he was. Grinning he pushed forward to kiss her only to be blocked by a dusty book.

"Ah, sorry I don't like to kiss on the first date; I'm also not into the whole beard and long hair thing. Didn't mean to lead you on." Odin felt his pride take a blow and his jaw became a straight line.

"It's customary to please a guest in whatever form they want. I'm also a king so you should do as I say wench." He smiled grabbing her shoulders tightly.

"I've always been deviant and I'm not really into force so maybe you should let go." She said stoically.

"No worries, I like it when they screamed." Cornering her he grabbed her butt and was about to kiss her again, when her fist swung and he crashed right through the wall. The people outside scattered like chickens clucking to the safety of their homes.


	2. blown away by a small god size bomb

(I can't help but imagine Odin looking like the german you always see in history books. Blue eyes, blond hair, gorgeous except this odin has a beard. He wasn't down for long and he's fought others like her before, the Valkyries. Athena decided not to do that again shaking her pained hand. He was like Enki, looked human but his skin was as hard as iron. She stepped through the large whole in the wall thinking of at all the time she was going to spend fixing it before Enki came back. She checked around making sure her family was out of danger only to be disappointed. The men came back with pitch forks, and large branches. Her friend the one who brought the man to her house, Yor stood in front of her glaring at Odin. Odin adjusted his wolf pelt and stood proudly smirking, hands on his hips and Athena became worried. Even though they outnumbered him, he didn't look frightened at all, and unlike them he had actual weapons something Enki never taught them to use. She chastised herself for losing control, giving into impulse and starting this; before she could speak though Odin frowned looking around. She felt something climb over her pants to her pocket. "Haku?" she thought.

"He's not here is he?"

"What?" Yor said cautiously stepping forward, holding his fork defensively.

"Enki. If he was he would be here in a heartbeat after hearing the noise." Odin said. "Where is he?" No one said anything.

"Fine, if that's the way you want it." He sprinted to the closest man, a skinny fellow who stumbled back and grabbed him by the neck.

"Well? Your choice; you guys have a good supply of children here." One of the women hiding behind a door cried out.

"Egypt he's in Egypt! Please let my brother go." Odin looked at Athena trying to decipher if it was true. She hid it well. He crushed the whimpering man's skull making him look like a flat fish. The men shouted in rage and lunged at him, he easily dodged each blow pushing them back by the ribs injuring them. It almost looked like a game, when the older brother wouldn't share a toy and the younger kids attacked knowing they stood no chance. He was bored until a wind from behind him made him look behind. Athena made a roundabout kick his head twisting sharply to the right.

"Ow." She cursed before sending an onslaught of punches to his temple, jaw, neck, and ribs; trying to break something. It did hurt and Odin grew angry but impressed. She had skill and was agile; every time he brought his arms to grab her like a bunny she would dodge to hit his back or any other blind spot. Frustrated she aimed for the knees successfully making him go down. He wasn't playing anymore though. These people clearly had no respect for a god and deserved punishment.

"Enough." He sent his energy everywhere making Athena go back. He was about to slaughter them all until he saw it. A tiny dark gleam in Athena's eye similar to the ones he and his berserkers get during a battle. At that moment he knew she was like him a creature of war even if he could see her trying to repress it. Cold-blooded, ruthless, and sadistic. He was interested, wanted to see the monster inside and engage it in battle, see who's stronger, he got a feeling it didn't come out often, must be starving. So he did the only thing he could; grabbing Gungir he threw it randomly to a house where he could see a child peeking by a window.

"No!" Athena shouted and manipulated to wind to heave up and push it the opposite way. To her horror it cut through the wind easily unhinged and pierced the child. The heavy spear put the boy to his knees and he gasped for breath, hearing his mother wail and held him; butterfly soul leaving him. Gungir went back to his owner on its own.

"How?" Athena said wide-eyed.

"Magic does not heed to the natural order." Athena didn't understand; didn't really care at the moment either. With the speed of light she vanished before his blue eyes and manifested next to him. Slamming her elbow with his forearm, he grunted releasing Gungir and he saw it again as she eyed the spear. Could see her imaging, plunging the spear deep into his heart savagely and for a moment he thought she would until her eyes focused on him again aiming for the nose. He stopped the punch and threw her off. This had gone long enough, he had a god to find. He summoned heavenly energy inside him and shined like the sun, disintegrating everyone to bones as they ran for cover, and then to dust. The fire burning them to charcoal and they died. The holy light so powerful that as their butterfly shaped souls departed from the body it evaporated never to meet its afterlife. Expect Athena who he was now starting to reconsider wasn't human, At least not completely. She was on the ground unconscious, her face contorted in pain. Her clothes by some miracle were still intact, he would have to ask her about it later.

Rummaging through his bag he found rope but quickly dismissed the idea, she was stronger than the average human. Pulling the golden chains made by the elves he smile triumphantly and secured her hands, ankles, and throat.

"Never tried bondage but you brought this upon yourself." He was strong and she didn't weigh much so like a master dragging its dog by the leash they left the barren waste land that was once a prosperous utopia(to an extent). Before leaving however, he snooped around making sure Enki hadn't left any magical item behind. Behind the hovel that Athena used to live in he found it. The tree of immortality... burning.

"No!" To late to save the peaches now. They made one immortal yes, and cured any sickness yes, but if someone were to slash your head off that was it, the end of the line, it didn't turn you into a zombie or a Frankestine, just gave you very quick healing. Still they had been valuable and delicious, and now thanks to his careless it was gone. That didn't mean there weren't more trees like it but they were extremely rare and the keepers would be vicious to be separated from them.

"Curse it all" he said Kicking up dirt. The little creature inside Athena's pocket suppressed its laughter. It was small the size of a mouse and spider like, its body was a green rectangle in the middle a smaller rectangle where its round black eyes could see through, above, long black pointy hair that it used for walking. It was Athena's friend and would look after her as a friend should.

The force field was gone so Odin decided it was best to leave and summoned a pack of wolves from the forest. These wolves are not the wolves we thing of today; their limbs were human-like, they had four eyes each a different color, and they could speak like normal people can,not to mention they were huge.

"Carry her." They bowed their heads in homage and a grey one lifted her to its back, following Odin into the forest and keeping a keen ear to any danger.


	3. Camp fire songs are overrated

(Ne is Neith Egyptian goddess of the hunt and weaving. Ever plan a story and end up changing the plot later? Odin originally wasn't going to make an appearance In the story XD. Also guess who's trying to read the Iliad! Emphasis on trying. my favorite character so far is diomedes. didn't really check the spelling, I let the computer do all the work cause I'm lazy. Orz. I hope your enjoying the story.)

Athena didn't like horses; it was extremely uncomfortable after so many hours of bareback riding one and it made her motion sick, all that trotting and the frustrating moment it jibs. Half-conscious she thought she had fallen asleep again riding, in another attempt of Enki to hone her lack of horsemanship. He was a perfectionist and made her practice for hours straight with no breaks if she didn't master something the first time. She and the horses were never able to form empathy, blaming each other for the strenuous task Enki placed on them. It got to the point where Athena had to create the first harness and blind the beast irked at its unwillingness to let her lead; that had impressed Enki and got him off her back for a while. She moved her hand and felt long fur, that's when her muddled mind snapped to attention confused. She groaned at her cracking limbs, she felt incredibly tired and the last thing she needed was for Enki to have drugged and drag her to the mountains for training. She feared that if she so as much peaked she would find herself surrounded by hundreds of demons all summoned by him. As she nursed her wounds and bruises, she would loudly complain at the injustice of this, whining why she even needed to do this if he didn't encourage violence, his only response would be a stern look and a warning that the future is full of unseen dangers and one must be prepared for the worst.

She squeezed her eyes tighter tying to tune out the loud warning bells inside her head announcing danger. What in the world did Enki pop out this time? It was giving her a headache. Her confusion just escalated when she finally dared to open her eyes and see a pack of walking wolves sniffing the air and a large, bulky man wrapped in bear fur lead the party. The memories of what happened hit her like relentless crashing waves; her home, her people, the testimony of her good work all gone.

"Glad to see your awake my wolves were getting tired of carrying your dead weight." The cold fury she expected came after her shock left her but she held it in; lightly pulling the golden chains on her wrists.

"How am I alive?" she inquired remembering the strange bright yellow blast that had hit her.

"Your guess is as good as mine. What are your clothes made of?" the man really needed a shave the beard made him look older than what he really was.

"Cloth." She answered unsure but it was strange how her clothes were only slightly blackened.

"Really? You were hit by powerful magic and you expect me to believe it's just cloth." He said frowning thinking she was withholding information from him. Athena only shrugged climbing of the humongous wolf.

"The material was a present from my aunt Ne; she taught me how to tailor my own clothes I don't why it isn't damaged." Odin would have to ask Enki about it but the girl was chained so he didn't see the harm in letting her keep it. He decided it was time to get into business.

"You are now my concubine do you understand." Athena blinked.

"Your married?" he wasn't expecting that.

"What?"

"I hadn't expected you to be married. How long have you been king?" she said studying him closer.

"A while now." He answered and the disappointed look Athena gave him made him feel insecure. "What!" he snapped.

"Nothing." Athena said looking away, not wanting to provoke him just distract.

"Harlot do not test my patience."

"It's just that being a king and all shouldn't you be—I don't know looking after your kingdom perhaps. Emotions get in the way of sound judgment and next thing you know you spend all your time thinking about pleasing your wife and mistresses instead of more important matters." She was beautiful but the more she talked the less Odin wanted to have her. He felt like he was being scolded at by a parent.

"Do you think me unwise? Do you think I'm a dog in heat? I'm in a quest you see to attain the wisdom nobody but Enki holds."

"Wisdom? Oh, you wish to be his disciple. A piece of advice, destroying his village and taking his daughter isn't the best way to ask." Athena said sad at the thought of her home.

"Why would I ask? I merely want to take the object that stores all knowledge and is the foundation of all civilization. Such power should only belong in my hands." Athena didn't understand what he was talking about. How can wisdom be contained in an object? Mentally shaking her head she decided not to say anything deciding she was dealing with a madman.

"Anyways," she drawled eyeing him like he was the strangest creature she's ever seen "maybe we should set camp it's pretty dark." While Odin gathered wood Athena stretched as best as could feeling every bone creak in protest.

"You've been sleeping for quite a while." Odin informed her. Athena looked at the piled up wood and concentrated. Just as she thought she couldn't bring it to flames which could only mean her limited power in water and wind were also gone by these confounded chains. After finishing an apple and Odin securing her to a tree with his overgrown dogs to growl at her, he went to sleep and Athena finally felt grief kick in; she didn't cry but silently lamented her dead family. She regretted not spending more time with them and all the times she fought with the older boys, not asserting her love towards them enough.

"Stop it." Odin said his back facing her.

"I didn't say anything." Her voice didn't crack or sound sad just neutral.

"You didn't have to; I could feel your brooding from here."

"I'll try to brood more silently then." She said sarcastically. Odin turned to stare at her, propping his head on his hand, the bright fire in-between them providing no warmth.

"Your so foolish know that. They were made of what; dirt, bark, sand, mushrooms, they are not real! They are toys, puppets, disposable piece, easily replicated and only exist for our pleasure. They are not like dogs, able to grant unconditional love, theirs is fickle. They are roaches, not worth out time and live as long as candle lights. Why do you mourn for them?" he said it so flatly.

"They were my family it doesn't matter if it wasn't tied to blood. If someone loves you, it's your responsibility to love and care back. You should tread carefully on how you speak of them; they might come to resent your kind." She said simply.

"What about when they die? Or they betray you?"

"Nobody lives forever. Betrayal is an unavoidable effect in life."

"I'll live forever and so will you and all our kind."

"Your kind and I certainly will not. I'm surprised my ears have not begun to bleed at your nonsense." Even though Athena was joking Odin could sense the truth in it. She really believed she was human, what kind of lies has Enki has been feeding this girl.

"Woman who do you think you are?" Odin said softly, Athena only raised a thin white brow.

"A young woman chained to a tree sadly."

"I'm being serious. Our first introductions failed so let's start again. I'm Odin founder god of Asgard."

"I'm Athena daughter of Enki." She frowned when he said god.

"Adopted?" Odin added.

"I'm not sure."

"He had a wife but I think they've been divorced for a while. You may be his illegitimate child. You must take from your mother." She didn't have anything that resembled Enki. "Was she a goddess?"

"Why do you keep speaking of gods and goddesses?" she huffed. Enki had spoken to her about religion.

"I'm only asking to know of your lineage. Was she a nymph? Elves? Vampire?"

"I don't know. Human." They stared at each other and Odin eyes widened in disbelief.

"You, you do not believe!" He pointed at himself. "I am a god truly I do not lie."

"You haven't been sleeping much have you?"

"I am not mad! How do you explain my magic?"

"Magic," Athena looked at him a bit concerned.

"Yes magic it exists."

"Some type of science I haven't learned about." Athena shrugged.

"What is science?" Odin said confused.

"Knowledge about or study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation" Athena summed it up. They looked at each other, clearly from different worlds and did not know how to cope.

"Where are we heading to" Athena diverted to another topic before things got more awkward.

"Egypt. Ra's kingdom." Odin answered. Athena sighed that would take a months of walking and crossing dangerous monsters.

"How near are we to the ocean?"

"Why do you ask?" he shot back eyeing her.

"How else do you plan on crossing?" He looked at her incredulous.

"So you can walk on water now?" she dodged his question.

"We construct a ship and head there."

"A ship?" He repeated.

"A ship." She repeated nodding, mimicking him.

"What is this aship." He asked. Athena thought he was joking but once she realized he wasn't she scratched the back of her head which was difficult being chained and all thinking.

"It's a bigger version of a boat." She pursed her lips "you do know what a boat is don't you?"

"I do." He replied crossing his arms. He saw movement on her pants.

"What is that? Are you really a woman!" he screamed scrambling back. Athena was confused until she saw the little bump on her pants and laughed heartily.

"No-no this is a survivor." She grabbed her small friend revealing him to Odin. "This is Haku." She said opening her hand. The rectangular, big eyed creature squealed happily at Athena before glaring at Odin.

"What is it?"

"No idea. A friend, I've known him since the day I started remembering stuff." Her eyes narrowed, the memories of her childhood have always been blurry and hard to recall, and it frustrated her to no end since she had photographic memory. Odin's wolves sniffed at it and Haku growled in outrage, the wolf shook its head deciding it wasn't dangerous.

"How long will it take for you to construct this ship?"

"Not long I just need wood and linen." Athena answered calculating it in her head. She couldn't help but think of holding him underwater, testing if he really was immortal. They heard a crash south and saw trees come toppling down. "I hate road trips." She sighed unhappily getting up and glaring at the worthless wolves. In their defense the wind had been hiding any monsters scent. She eyed Odin and held out the manacles.

"I can fight whatever comes our way so you just sit there." Odin said twirling his lances. Athena thought they were beautiful the weapons but the one on his left especially. It was a red wooden handle and the tip was made of metal strangely designed to twist. Nothing grand really but it called out to her. The monster finally appeared, shoving large pine trees aside.


	4. Truth between a god and a fool

(Are my chapters to short? Do all the fan fiction writer go to the library to write or is it only me? Seriously Microsoft word is expensive! )

The campfire didn't offer much light; large clouds hid the moon and stars. Odin's eyes were sharper than any humans and most animals but even he did a double take and narrowed his eyes to make sure the shadows weren't messing with him. Athena suppressed a smile at his reaction and while he and the wolves were distracted, she silently edged to the fire and doused the fire with dirt, inviting darkness.

"Athena!" he yelled in outrage.

"Shh. It can't see nor hear. It uses the trees for that don't touch any of them or speak to loud."

"I didn't get a good look at it!" he growled out and his wolves bared their teeth at her but kept their eyes trained at the towering creäture.

"Free me and I will help you." That way I can kill you later, Athena couldn't help but think. Odin didn't give in.

"I do not need your feeble help I will destroy it myself!" he barked out.

The trees located him and whispered to the forest creäture where he was. With one powerful swing it crashed its arm to the ground where he barely dodged it, sprinting right, but it did crush two of his wolves, and the sound was like of falling giant trees. The wolves leapt at different directions trying to find the attacker. When one found it, there canines dug into it but barely made an effect hitting hard abrasive skin. Before they could jump back it would kick its leg to a nearby tree flattening them. Odin screamed in outrage and threw his spear blindly the one in his left hand, the one Athena was drawn to, powerful and lethal it went flying up, nowhere near where the giant was but by some phenomenon as if it had a mind of its own it maneuvered to it going through where its heart was supposed to be and went right back to Odin's hand. He expected it to be dead since in his mind he told the lance to hit its heart but the noise of a collapsing body never came.

Everything was silent and for a moment he wondered if he should throw both spears to confirm it being dead when rough branches slammed into him making him fly and knock down the sturdy trees behind him. Before he could recover his wits it punched him again creating several cuts where his ichor the blood of the immortals seeped like honey. He jumped out-of-the-way avoiding another hit and scrambled away. He had a guess on what this foreign creäture was and had an idea on how to defeat him.

Athena was relaxing, watching all this go down, and leaning on a tree. What she had purposely failed to tell Odin was that the creäture was a guardian of the forests and attacked those it deemed a threat. It had known Athena and her people for forever and knew they treated the land with respect the way Enki's friends, the red skin tribe had shown them. So Athena sat eating the rest of her apple watching Odin struggle with glee.

Odin took a breath collecting himself, there was no way he could defeat it in the dark. He gathered energy inside him, taking one last glance at his courageous wolves surrounding him and to Athena's horror erupted like back in her village, illuminating the area. The trees shriveled and died, the giant creäture made up of various trees burned like a matchstick, and Odin's beloved wolves howled in pain before they too burned. Athena was launched again back, hitting the ground hard but this time maintained consciousness.

Odin huffed in air, wiping of the sweat in his brow. Once Athena made sure she wasn't missing any limbs or anything she got up and dusted herself up, giving Oden and outrageous expression.

"YOU! You just killed them." She tried to keep her anger but couldn't to horrified at his actions.

"The trees? Let it go Athena they'll eventually grow back." Odin stood a little straighter unwilling to show how much that had drained him.

"No not just the trees, your companions, your loyal dogs! You just killed them." Athena couldn't believe how heartless he was.

"They were necessary sacrifices for the cost of victory." He tried justifying his actions. Their deaths did sadden him a little but still in the end they were only animals.

"You can't just kill life-like it has little value and you are supposedly a god, the creäture couldn't have killed you, you could have just fled." Athena shook her head.

"Run away, never a warrior does not cower in fear, tell me would you have abandoned the battle?" he snarled out the question already knowing the truth. Athena looked away knowing the truth too. What made her more upset was not having any bodies to bury just like her slaughtered family.

"There could have been another way." She mumbled out.

"Another way. What other way to defuse a fight but with more violence? The superior man coming out top and the others will bow at his strength." Odin was a king he reminded her and knew this first hand. To his annoyance she just shook her head stubbornly.

"No there's always another way… at least that was what Ea always said." The name of her adoptive father, her tutor, made her heart whimper and she longed to rejoin with her last piece of family. When they got to Egypt her, Ea, and Brother Thoth could team up and hold this manic Odin down. She couldn't defeat him now, with her level of strength alone.

Odin unchained her from the tree's trunk and together they walked to the beach. It was a long quiet walk until Odin broke the silence thinking about Athena for some time.

"Don't you ever want to let go?" Athena deep in thought too had no idea what he was speaking of.

"What? I really want these chains to let go of my wrists." The corner of Odin's lip twitched.

"Deny it all you want but I can see that deep down you're just like me. So I want to know why you keep your wrath deep in your heart, chain your beast and let it hunger, don't you like me often dream of the blood of mortal men, pooling at your feet? Vivid dreams of carnage, death, the lust of battle. The battle cry of brave men, hopeless men, all pitting against each other. You who has never seen war would be awed by it, actually be there and not just a vision, a glimpse when your sleeping." Athena was uncomfortable out of the truth of it. She did have such dreams as he described but they never lasted long. It muddled together with dreams of cities, books, art and good warriors. Warriors that fought with violence and warrior that fought with words, peace makers trying to better the lives of others. She preferred the scholarly ones more.

"No comment lets just get to the beach." Odin was silent for a minute until he started asking again.

"Does En- Ea know, about your wanton to tear human flesh?" Athena wanted to punch him in the face and reopen every wound that was healing in his body.

"Ea is omniscient I doubt there's anything that pompous old man doesn't know. I don't have a sick fixation in killing... just a little anger issues." Athena was beginning to come of aloof not liking the continues questions coming from Odin. He however, took delight to see how obdurate she could be.

"Dont fool yourself. I ask again don't you ever want to let go?" Athena's remaining twig of patience snapped.

"Of course I do! It's a propensity hard to ignore but so is thinking, and compassion. I might do something unforgivable and not want to take responsibility for my actions later." The ocean was just over the large beast of a hill.

"You can't help the way you were born, your fate is out of your hands." Athena couldn't fathom that.

"I think you should impugn your belief. I don't really believe in fate, But I do believe in willpower. When I was younger I always got into fights and got angry at the smallest things. Ea tried his best to tame me: we did stretches, breathing exercises, art, music, tea, meditation and more. Most times I reel back in control, but I do slip sometimes." They reached the peak and watched the sunrise, the start of a new day.

"I-I am sorry for hitting you. Violence doesn't solve anything." This woman was as solid as the earth when it to her values and her shinning honest grey eyes unnerved him. They were more alike than he originally thought; they both did anything to overcome an obstacle. However, unlike her he would never apologize or admit wrong. He was also perfectly content on who he was and didn't want to change for something as trivial as humanities credo. He missed the bellicose Athena back in the village, this one, preaching on and on about goodness and peace was too enigmatic to understand.

He didn't refute her, the fool clinging to hope; people wanted to see what they wanted to see or hear. He was a god and above such limits, he could clearly see her in fates hand, her destiny sealed the moment she was born. How tragic for her to have been born in an age without kindness, mercy, and good will. If she really believed in it then he didn't have to worry about her killing him, let the fool believe what they wanted to as long as they stayed out of ones business.

"Lets continue this squabble another day, we've almost reached the beach.

(I am not proud of how this chapter came out. What do the gods of wisdom talk about when they're together? I always imagine college professors when meeting, talking in long words you never even read in books, challenging each other to see whose intelligence or vocabulary is superior. Odin doesn't give a duck XD just like whatever you'll see I was right later and Athena's like you idiot face of a cow I'm right and if you don't think I am then ill go slap some sense into you. I think my writing has improved or is it just my imagination? Why is Percy Jackson group more popular than the original greek one?

Is anybody reading this? Orz)


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